1. Rate the 12 questions below
Average rank

Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Does Not Apply

1. What was taught agreed with the objectives stated in the catalog or course outline. 1.4
2. The instructor exhibited an enthusiasm and interest in the subject. 1.2
3. The instructor was knowledgeable in the subject. 1.1
4. The instructor used class time effectively. 1.2
5. The instructor respected people including those of different genders, religions, ethnic backgrounds, class status, abilities, and lifestyles. 1.2
6. The instructor encouraged students to think. 1.4
7. The instructor’s teaching methods were effective in helping me learn the material. 1.5
8. The instructor made an effort to be available to students. 1.4
9. The instructor helped students understand the course material and find answers to relevant questions. 1.3
10. The instructor treated students fairly and reasonably. 1.3
11. The instructor encouraged students. 1.4
12. Overall, the instructor was effective. Consider both the limitations and possibilities inherent in the subject matter and course. 1.3
2. What did you like about the class?
Response
i really enjoyed this class although it was quite challenging, but i have learned and discovered myself as a student by taking this course. doing the online forums was such a test for me because i'm such a quiet student who doesn't like to speak-up; however, i believe by participating in these forums, it was a confident booster. as joe said during one of his lecture, "never doubt your intelligence!"
good class.
really there's nothing i don't like about the class. being someone who was never interested in history before taking history 203 last spring, i appreciate the way this class is taught and laid out. joe's enthusiasm for his subject is contagious and i look forward to taking history 202 next term.
i liked that during class the teacher used different methods including movies, slides, and voice recordings and did not just straight lecture. it kept it more interesting and kept students attention longer. having the information come at you several times in different forms was a good repetitive way to teach.
i truly enjoyed the enthusiasm joe escobar has for the subject he instructs. i always looked forward to coming to class. joe is very professional with his teaching methods, and i personally will be taking more than an understanding of american history from this class. thank you.
pretty much everything. i really enjoyed the interactive learning we did with the clickers though. i felt like it woke me up a little and i paid better attention when i was physically involved in the lesson. that doesn't mean that i ever fell asleep or even had the chance to be tired in his class. joe goes so fast that you must keep up on his demanding (and i say that with a positive connotation) class schedule.
it's exactly what i expected coming into college. use of class time was great. i like that i can do most of the work on my own time (online) but i also like having a professor who can teach and explain things to me and will answer questions about the material. the in-class participation was also good and it sometimes helped my understanding of the subject. i also felt that the clickers used for in-class anonymous voting were very good and useful. it was a good way to explain how the people voted and thought and also related what we were learning about to modern topics.
i liked the diverstiy of the class. i am not such a good test taker, so learning in different ways and putting my writing skills to use, really helped me.
history, i love it and want to learn why people did what they did, and how it effects us today.
i really like the fact that as a history teacher mr escobar was honest.
i thought that this class was well taught in the history aspect and very informative for the material.
i thought the quizzes were helpful and they weren't stressful because you get full credit if you get more than 10.
i liked how the instructor made us question the book and different resources.
the enthusiam that he showed for his subject really showed though, in a way that made it easier to learn, he brought a good sense of humor to the class.
the teacher was very enthusiastic about the subject.
i like history but really don't like taking history classes.. this was the exception. it is not an easy class but he made it fun and interesting to learn about.
i like the hybrid style class. i like that we talked about how things in history relate to what's happening now.
escobar was a great teacher who put a lot of thought in to how he could connect with his students, i liked using the iclickers and would of liked to use them more and possibly had small in class tests with them. there were a lot of movies / documentaries used as references too which i enjoyed because the reading was a little much.
nothing came as a surprise, we followed the exact structure as outlined on day 1.
i liked the way in witch the class was taught. mr. escobar showed a lot of enthusiasm for history, and its importance. i also liked the fact that there was a sense of humor incorporated into escobar's way of expression when he talks about his opinions, and his knowledge on history. great instruction.
i enjoyed joe's enthusiasm about the subject. it made it easier to learn.
i enjoyed the way that the instructor made the history relevent to us today. since the history that we were studying was so long ago sometimes it's hard to really understand it. i enjoyed the refrences he made and the way be lectured.
i loved the videos used in class especially the videos of comedians that spoke of the things that were relevant to the subject matter. the instructor was very enthusiastic about the subject matter and had a good sense of humor in delivering the material.
i really enjoyed class time in general! you have a great lecture style, without it becoming a monotonous and mono-toned boring lecture. there were great visuals, video clips, comedy, and my favorite element was showing the connections between then and now making the material more relative to me.
mr. escobar's appreciation and attention to detail and accuracy.
you! i hate history and you seriously made it fun. the passion you teach with is remarkable and it puts off a great impression that you really care about the subject. i also loved that you integrated photos you have personally taken. overall, the class was a great experience even if history isn't my major nor niche. i would recommend you to anyone looking for a class to take. you should start teaching business so i can take another class with you.
the power points in class were very helpful.
joe was very enthusiastic about the information and it was also very aware that he is extremely knowledgeable on his sources. he was also very aware of historians that are also knowledgeable on the subject which helped to bring in other perspectives.
joe is more the game show host than teacher, that aspect, for me made it much easier to learn, and retain what he taught. he obviously loves history and that glee transmits itself through his lectures, choices of videos and his warped sense of humor. to laugh while learning is proved to make learning easier and retention last longer. thanks, joe, i will see you next winter for your history 202 class.
history
i enjoyed how the class was taught and it made it a fun learning experience. the best part was when we used the clickers i thought it made the class more enjoyable. overall i hopo to take more classes with this teacher so that i can learn more about are american history.
i love seeing joe visiting all the places we talk about. it's awesome to see how the places are now! except, you could smile in a few pictures!! also, i like all the outside material. some people might find it annoying, but it's good to get different perspectives. i loved hearing songs from the time period and even the brief interview with a former slave! wish we could have heard more of that! overall, i enjoyed the class and the material is super interesting of course!
i like the layout - read, quiz, class, forum. i also appreciate the consistency. no surprise assignments. i also think that you are a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic teacher, and it makes coming to class enjoyable, not a hassle. i think that class time is used very well, and i like that you find ways to connect ideas throughout history to current events.
i liked every bit of class it was very informal reminded me a lot of my high school teacher. i think the pictures the videos and audio files help a lot when it comes to learning because those are the things that are remembered the most. over all looking forward to taking another history class soon.
i would put in my opinion, but i may get 0 points for it....
the thought process of discerning, analyzing and researching the bias of interpretation of history.
really enjoyed the hybrid classes, except didn't like commenting on other people's comments on the forum
i liked how the insructor used many tools to get the information out. the course was challenging but, the instructor made every effort to provide an enviornment to learn it.
everything. this has been the best class i've taken sense being at lane. my teacher, escobar is really passionate about the subject he is teaching and that resonated within every class session i went to. he takes the time to think out the course material and present it to us so that it is fluid, easy to understand, and applicable to our daily lives. all of the homework and online work was beneficial to the course and class time. joe escobar is a stupendous teacher and fabulous asset to lcc.
i really enjoyed the videos, and when we got to use the clickers to answer questions on slide.
i really enjoyed the hybrid part of it
the online quiz idea before we went over it in class is brilliant.
i’m convinced mr. escobar is one of the best teacher’s at lane. you will know exactly what is expected of you, and you always know were your standing with your grade. mr. escobar will challenge you to think for yourself, presenting the facts from all sides of history; nothing will be held back even the not so colorful aspects of our american history. you will walk away with a much-improved perspective of american history, and knowledge to understanding the choices our government makes today.
i liked the teaching style it very well coordinated with how i learn.
the content was fun to learn because of the way the instructor presented it.
i liked the forums.
i really appreciated the critical thinking aspect; it wasn't about regurgitating facts, numbers, or dates. you actually had to put some common sense into finding the correct answer.
i learned a lot from the class, and liked the connection between what we were learning, and what is going on today.
i enjoyed that the class was a hybrid course. i think the use of in-class materials and using forums/quizzes online was a great mix for myself personally.
i thought the class was very interesting, and the lectures were very insightful. i learned a lot of good information.
the added material of pictures and videos to further bring points home and understand ideas better. the forum was good in that it provided the opportunity for analytical thinking and constructing of one's ideas to thoughfully explain an idea.
i like how the teacher was thorough and did exactly what he said he was going to do.
there were two times to go to the class and learn the same material.
i like the fact the instructor presents both good and bad points to history. i liked his approach on the "truth" of history and let students discuss their own opinions.
3. How could this class be improved? Add any comments about the class and/or instructor that you feel might be helpful or useful.
Response
you may put exact deadlines on the syllabus in case that some students miss forum.
i did not like how the tests are worded, i did every assignment and never missed a class and still did very poorly on the test. you said they aren't trick questions but the way they are worded i would disagree. even when we did the pop quiz in class it proved it for many other students. the test could be written and worded differently so the students have a better chance. i don't think everyone doing so poorly on the test reflects that the information wasn't given clearly, the test questions were just worded awkwardly.
clone joe escobar and have him instruct everywhere. seriously, i cannot think of a way for this class to be improved.
the only thing i can think of to say here is that i felt like i would miss something once in a while. he explained things well, but everyone has different learning styles and maybe more discussion would be helpful. i understand why he doesn't allow a lot of time for that. he is very good about giving people the chance to ask a question but does not open time up much for discussions. again, i see why he can't. i'm not sure how to fix that other than allow more class time for group discussion. he does make sure his students know about moodle class forums, that we could for study groups, etc. that's not what i'm feeling i needed though. i just think that sometimes if another student is explaining, discussing or just commenting on something we just went over, other students might comprehend it better than when the teacher does it on a schedule and goes on to the next thing quickly. i hope this makes sense. it's not meant to be rude in any way. it's the easiest way i could think to explain what i meant. thanks joe for being the great teacher you are and working so well with us all. i loved your class! can't wait to work with you the rest of the year when taking the other history classes.
it was difficult for me to start posting on forums without an example or explanation. maybe there's some way to show how to use forums for those new to them.
some of the test questions are hard and confusing. although, the instructor isn't trying to confuse us, the questions are. i really like the use of videos and stories. i just wish the class was longer sometimes.
keep up the good work, maybe one day we'll all win the lottery and say screw it to all this stuff. just joking, class was fun!
more review time in order to understand the material before midterm and final.
sometimes we would discus an issue in history and than relate it to the present. while this is not bad for all things sometimes it seems that the jump would be very extreme and was not necessarily true and more of a conjuncture.
um, i feel like the class was successful, but i actually thought the forums were difficult. on the first day, all you said was that they were going to be easy points, but it's hard to post about something you are having a hard time understanding.
i think the forums reading material and information could have been more interesting, i did not not enjoy that part of it.
n/a
maybe not demanding so much as far as the forums go.
i wouldn't mind the class being longer. or a separate forum just for discussions that may not be completely relevant to the subject in the forum, but still history related.
i didnt like the forums but they did help and they showed who actually was participating in class and who wasnt...
the forums were a large percent of or grade and we dedicated a lot of time to them but i did no feel like i got much out of them- not very efficient allocation of our time. and they were difficult to post to, answers felt repetitive and getting a good score on posts was very difficult.
i have always found it helpful to work in groups with my fellow class-mates. i think if escobar had students work in groups, or pairs from time to time it would improve the class dynamics. working with others during class time also increases self-confidence and can even create higher test scores.
i wish the classes were longer even if it is a hybrid class. more lecture time to cover the subjects.
i would improve the class by making the forums a little easier to understand. not only the way they are structured.. but also the material.
the use of the online forums should be toned down considerably as it is very hard to keep up with the requirements of the forums. instead of reading 9 pages for the forum in addition to the 30-40 pages we have to read to prepare for each quiz, it would be nice to have the forums be a less percentage of the grade seeing how my grade was dropped lower than i thought it would due to not being able to keep up with the forums. the study guides for the exams should be a little more detailed as to what chapter each topic will be found in and come to think of it, the mid-term and final exam are way too long.
i like the linear learning style of this course because it makes it easy to follow and understand the connections being made. the forums are great because they are not "how did you feel about this" type questions, but the only "improvement" i would like would be three week forums. i know that sounds crazy, but there are somethings that i would have enjoyed delving deeper into, and with one 3 week forum and one 2 week forum i think it would be beneficial to people like me who love history and want to understand some aspects of "why's and who's" to gain some more insight while retaining more of what we are learning throughout the course.
not much, the only thing i had trouble with is differentiating between religions and what each religion believed in. maybe it was the lack of effort i was putting in but possibly make that a little clearer since it seemed like we put such a emphasis on it.
i feel there is way to much weight on the forums.
the last week involved a lot of information in a short period of time which made the end of the term even more stressful.
make it 15 weeks instead of 10. we students are getting short-changed by having to rush through the course material. i hope, after i get my teaching certificate that the classes will be back up to 15 weeks. the students deserve it.
it was perfect
you already know this, but it is a lot of time covered in a few short weeks. i would be nice to not have that but i'm not sure how the problem could be fixed. also, a review session for the midterm as well as the final would be greatly appreciated!
it would be nice to have the quizzes due on tuesday night or wednesday so that homework isn't so crammed into the weekend. i know sometimes i was in a pinch to get them done, since i work almost every weekend, and taking the quizzes would have been more effective for study purposes if i'd had just a little more time to process the chapter and fully comprehend what i was reading.
i don't think this class can be improved i honestly thought that this class was complete i learned lots through out this term. the only thing i had trouble with was with the forums i didn't understand much of the content that was provided even sometimes the audio files were a bit difficult for me to interpret or it could just be me. real cool instructor though really enjoyed having him through out the term.
this class should not be a hybrid class, you need more time in class discussion.
perhaps a little more time for student input in class outside of forums.
i think what would help me would to word multiple choise questions, as well as the answers provided,with fewer words.some of the questions were a little confusing to me. i had difficulty identifiing what was being asked. the answers to the multiple choise questions were also confusing. i had a hard time desifering what they were acually stating. overall this was an informitable class.
i thought the class was fine as it was.
mr. escobar covers everything; i like the pace of the class, just the right speed.
i think it might be good to have more small student group discussions, i felt like i never really met very many people in the class so if i did want to study with someone it would feel awkward to ask.
the midterm was difficult and could've been more consistent to the material learned from the class/text book.
no comment.
a few more assignments to ballance the grading.
i would suggest changing something about the forums. sure it was great getting other people's views and hearing what they had to say, but it did not help me improve after reading or taking quizzes throughout the class.
having the chapter quizzes due the monday before we actually started going over them chapter was a bit rough. other then that, the class was great.
i think this class could benefit from more dicussion. but the given the length of time in the survey course, or amount of history it covers, i can see that this would be very difficult to do. but it would provide a great experience for the students to dialogue more. i did like that he allowed for many questions to be asked or points to be made.
i felt that there was too much emphasis on the online forum. it being 30% of our grade
none